1. The Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to an improved terminal for securing a cover to a base of a multicontact electrical connector for flat multiconductor cable and, in particular, to a slotted plate terminal in which any narrowing of the terminal slot during mating of the cover to the base is eliminated.
2. The Prior Art
Previous terminals which secured a cover to a base of a multicontact electrical connector for flat multiconductor cable each had a laterally extending barb on the free end of each of a pair of spaced-apart terminal arms, the arms defining a conductor receiving slot therebetween. When a conductor was inserted into the slot, both the conductor was distorted and the arms were deflected outwardly to a certain extent. As the cover was mated to the base, the terminal arms were initially flexed toward each other, causing a narrowing of the slot and a further permanent deformation of the conductor already in the slot. When the barbs cleared a shelf-forming neck in the apertures of the cover, the terminal arms spraing apart causing a widening of the slot which resulted in a loss of the resilient force and reduction of the integrity of the contact between the permanently deformed conductor and the terminal.
The known prior art is best represented by U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,055.